Edinburgh: Dean Village and the Water of Leith

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Water of Leith

Edinburgh is full of surprises. One minute you’re in a bustling city center, and the next you’re wandering down a shady trail, surrounded by trees and hearing only the sounds of the nearby stream.

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a bench by the Water of Leith

The Water of Leith is a small river which runs through Edinburgh and out to the Port of Leith. There’s a walkway along most of the Water of Leith (not to be confused with Leith Walk, the name of a busy street which connects Leith and the city center).

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Saint Bernard’s Well

My favorite section of this walkway is the part from Stockbridge to Dean Village, and then on to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.

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Go through this archway to start the walk

From Stockbridge (the actually bridge which gives this corner of New Town its name) turn down Saunders Street to get to the archway where this section of the walkway starts.

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St. Barnard’s Well

Soon you’ll approach St Bernard’s Well, the location of a natural spring where one would go to “take the waters” back in the day. The structure was recently restored, and is open to the public occasionally on weekend afternoons.

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Saint Bernard’s Well

I like this spot so much that St Bernard’s Well often inspires me to paint it.

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Just after St Bernard’s Well, there’s a small staircase down to the water itself.

Continuing your walk, you’ll come to the imposing Dean Bridge, which passes high above the water. It’s worth visiting the top of Dean Bridge, as well, for some lovely Edinburgh views.

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walking under Dean Bridge

After Dean Bridge, you’ll come across Dean Village, a former mill town.

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Dean Village

Dean Village is an adorable little section of Edinburgh, a wee village hidden inside the folds of the city.

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Dean Village

You can wander all through Dean Village and continue along the Water of Leith Walkway (which switches to the other side of the water at the far end of the village) for a a little while longer.

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Dean Village

Eventually this route should lead you to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, well worth a visit, but you may have to take a detour. At the moment a section of the Water of Leith Walkway between Dean Village and the gallery is closed for repairs (but this doesn’t seem to deter the locals, who cheerfully hop the fences and continue along their way).

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Dean Village

If you don’t want to (or can’t) continue all the way to the gallery, you can double back through Dean Village and head up Bell’s Brae to see the view from Dean Bridge. Otherwise, you can head all the way back to Stockbridge and explore the neighborhood’s many pubs, restaurants, and shops. Stay tuned for a neighborhood guide to Stockbridge, which we will be putting together soon.